The Sounds Kinda Nice Series
by Rose Lupus
Summary: Lois accidentally lets something slip in front of Clark - and it just might be the start of something.
1. Sounds Kinda Nice

**A/N:** Originally a oneshot that just wouldn't stop sprouting sequels, The Sounds Kinda Nice series is now being reposted as a freshly edited and somewhat lengthened chapter story to make it easier to navigate. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** These characters don't belong to me. Not sure of the details of who exactly they do belong to (the writers, company, etc) but definitely not me. I'm just playing with them, hoping pretty please not to get sued.

* * *

**Sounds Kinda Nice**

* * *

"Ugh!" Lois grunted in disgust as she tossed the magazine she'd been flicking through away. "Who even comes up with those stupid things?"

"What?" Chloe asked her cousin as she looked up from her textbook.

"Those stupid couples' nicknames," Lois explained to her, "You know how they blend their names together?"

"Yeah, so?" Chloe asked, trying not to laugh as she recognised one of Lois's rants developing.

"They just all sound so..." Lois grappled for the appropriate descriptor, "Stupid!"

Chloe raised an eyebrow and waited for Lois to continue. She didn't have to wait long.

"I mean, really, _Bran_gelina? It sounds like a breakfast cereal... or a really weird sandwich!"

_Yup_, Chloe thought, _This is definitely a trademark 'Lois rant'._

Meanwhile, Lois was continuing to systematically ridicule all the celebrity couple monikers.

"... Beniffer? What is that? Benji the Drug-Sniffing Dog's stripper nickname?"

Chloe burst into laughter, interrupting Lois's tirade.

What?" Lois asked her, pausing in her irritated pacing.

"You just got me thinking... you know, about other couples and the name-blending thing?" Chloe struggled to continue without cracking up again, "Well, Chloe and Jimmy gives you 'Chimmy'."

Lois gave Chloe a blank look, obviously not getting the joke.

"Chim-chimmery, chim-chimmery, chim-chim-chiroo?"Chloe added, half-singing, half-asking.

"Mary Poppins?" Lois grinned, "Your relationship reminds you of a Mary Poppins song?"

Chloe was unable to reply; she was laughing so hard that her textbook looked ready to fall off her knees.

"Lois and Oliver is Loliver," Lois said, scrunching up her nose, "Why does that remind me of cod-liver oil?"

"Well, if that's too hard to swallow, we could always call you guys 'Lollie' for short," Chloe told her with a remarkably straight face. Lois grimaced at the cutesy nickname.

"Oh ha-ha," she said, "Chloe, I think you better step away from the puns before you hurt yourself."

What had begun as Lois trying to amuse herself whilst Chloe was studying somehow degenerated into Chloe and Lois rolling around the floor in fits of laughter for almost an hour.

"Hey Chloe," Lois said when she had recovered from her latest bout of chuckling, "How about Clark and Lana? Lark?"

"Clana!" Chloe declared in a high-pitched voice, "Like Nah-nah nah-nah-nah!"

"You realise how immature you just sounded?" Lois laughed.

"Exactly!"

"Oh!" Lois realised the joke with a laugh; thinking of all the 'dramas' Clark and Lana had had before their break-up.

"Okay," Lois told Chloe, "I've gotta leave before I bust a spleen or something."

Lois stood, clutching her sides and turned towards Chloe's door.

"Oh wait," Chloe had got up and was leaning against the door, "I've got one more."

Lois stood outside the door and waited for Chloe to continue.

"What do you think of 'Clois'? Chloe asked.

'That one actually sounds kinda nice" Lois said after a pause, "Who's that?"

Chloe's reply was to dart past Lois out of the room. She slammed the door closed and burst into uncontrollable laughter as she leaned heavily on the wall next to her door.

"Huh?" Lois asked the empty room, confused by her cousin's reaction. _Clois_... Lois thought, _Lois and..._

"CLARK?!" Lois's incredulous voice rang out through the entire dorm, only serving to fuel Chloe's laughter.


	2. Unheard Of

**Unheard Of**

* * *

Clark made his way down the hallway, ignoring the hysterical laughter echoing from one of the rooms he had already past, and double-checked the text message Chloe had sent him.

"204," Clark read aloud, looking up, he noticed he was standing next to 213. Rolling his eyes, Clark turned back the way he had came.

Chloe had had some trouble with her car and since Clark was coming into Metropolis today, he'd offered her a ride to Smallville so she didn't have to delay her visit to the Kent farm. She had sent a message a couple of hours previously asking him to pick her up from Lois' dorm whenever he finished up. Which was how he found himself wandering around a college dormitory looking for room 204.

A sudden noise drew Clark's attention. He raised his head just in time to see a familiar blonde fly out of a room two doors from him and slam the door behind herself.

"Chloe!?" Clark exclaimed in surprise and concern. A red-faced Chloe turned to face him but did not reply. Apparently she was unable to squeeze words out with her hysterical laughter. Standing seemed to be just as difficult.

"What-" Clark's quest for explanation was rudely interrupted by an all too familiar bellow.

"CLARK?!" Lois's incredulous voice rang out through the entire dorm.

Clark looked, if possible, even more shocked by this. Did Lois know he was here? Why was she yelling his name? And why was Chloe laughing even harder than before?

Clark watched, dumbfounded, as Chloe gestured wildly towards him and the door as she struggled to breathe through shrieks of laughter.

"Chloe Sullivan!" Lois roared, ripping the door open to pursue her cousin. Clark cringed at the sight of Lois fully revved up and apparently ready to wreak horrible revenge her beloved cousin. Before Clark could move to intervene, Lois continued "I can't believe you! That's the most horrific idea I have ever heard of!"

"That's not what you said ten seconds ago!" Chloe countered, smirking, her eyes flicking momentarily to Clark. Something in that brief glance made Clark think she wanted him to stay out of this. This just added to his confusion and curiosity.

"Chloe!!" Lois screeched, uncharacteristically flustered, "You're taking me completely out of context, isn't there some reporting law against taking things out of context?! I didn't mean - I - I didn't have any idea what you were talking about!"

"Nuh-uh Lo," Chloe chortled gleefully, a childish sparkle of mischief glinting in her eyes. "Do you want to hear the direct quote? You said Clois 'sounds kinda nice' Even if you didn't know what I was talking about, your subconscious sure seemed to approve..."

"You're nuts!" Lois accused, "I'd never go for Smallville! He's-"

"Lois," Chloe interjected innocently, "I never said anything about Clark. We were discussing your appreciation of the term 'Clois' but I suppose since your so focused on him we could change the topic..."

"I am not FOCUSED on Smallville, Chloe!" Lois retorted derisively, whilst Clark's eyes continued darting from one cousin to the other.

"Then why are we still discussing him? You know Lo, it's okay to admit you have feelings for him, you don't ha-"

"I DO NOT HAVE FEELINGS FOR CLARK KENT!!" This denial rivaled the decibel power of any of Lois' previous exclamations and caused several of the curious faces to disappear back into their rooms in fright. They seemed to have weighed up the danger of Lois scorned and decided the watching the rest of the show wasn't worth their lives.

Clark's eyebrows drew together... had there been a hint of desperation in Lois voice just then?

"Read my lips Chloe," Lois ordered, "Never. Going. To. Happen. He's not my type. He'll never be my type. He's a boyscout. A plaid-wearing boyscout. I can hardly stand the sight of him-"

"I thought he was your best friend?"

"He is," Lois admitted, unaware she had just caused Clark's jaw to drop, "But-"

"So you must like him a bit, then." Chloe interrupted.

"Yes, but that's not the point-" Lois replied, struggling to regain control of the dialogue. Her failure was signaled by Chloe's next interruption.

"Didn't you tell me Clark was the most honorable guy you'd ever met?" Chloe continued her efficient interrogation.

"Yeah, but I don-"

"And that he drives you crazy?"

"Yes," Lois agreed, "Because-"

"So you're telling me you're madly in love with him?"

"Yes," Lois nodded. Then her eyes widened exponentially and she slapped her across mouth, as if she could catch the offending word after the fact. "No!!! I don't!! I- you- I taught you that! The lull-them-into-a-false-sense-of-security thing... You can't use my own tactics against me!!"

"I think I'll stick with believing your subconscious," Chloe said, grinning first at Lois, then over her shoulder the dumbstruck, and still unregistered, Clark Kent.

"Chloe! I swear to God, if you weren't my cousin-" Lois broke off her threat when she noticed Chloe was no longer looking at her, "What are you-"

"Hi,"Clark broke in cheerfully; simply and effectively making his presence known to the girl in question.

Lois stiffened momentarily before turning around, perhaps hoping that she was just hearing things, and Clark WASN'T actually standing behind her. Unfortunately for Lois, this wasn't the case.

"I didn't know you felt that way about me, Lo," Clark grinned at her.

The blood that had drained from her face at the sound of his voice came rushing back, with interest. Her eyes were wide and she visibly gulped. She looked positively mortified.

"Are you... blushing?" Clark asked in disbelief, sarcasm and teasing forgotten in his absolute surprise. A blushing Lois was just... unheard of.

Lois stared at him as though every single thought in her head had frozen along with her body. Her mouth dropped open as if she was going to say something. Then it closed; another unheard of Lois-event, which fed Clark's already wide grin.

She stared in horror for a few more seconds before lunging through her doorway and slamming the door behind her.


	3. A LoveHate Relationship

**A Love/Hate Relationship**

* * *

"Lois."

She stirred unhappily.

"Lois."

She clung to the leaden chains of sleep that were dragging her back down into the blissful depths of oblivion.

"Looo-is." Louder now.

"Noooooooooo," she moaned blearily. "Goooo awaaayyy…"

A chuckle sounded from above her.

"Come on Lois."

Lois didn't respond, the chains quickly dragging her down away from this cruel awakening. Almost back to the dream she had been starting to…

Suddenly, she was being shaken, ripped brutally from her comfortable cocoon of almost-sleep.

Lois made an incoherent noise that clearly communicated her frustration and anger. Her hands clumsily rose up in a futile attempt to ward off the evil hand that dared to wrest her from her dreams. It was no use. The ear muffs of sleep fell from her poor, beleaguered ears, music accompanying the last of the film credits flooded in, and all hope died.

"I. Hate. You," Lois pronounced brusquely; her eyes cracking open in defeat.

"You told me not to let you sleep on the couch." Clark responded innocently, his blue eyes shining with mischief as he fought to restrain the wide, toothy grin that was threatening to erupt. "I didn't want to encounter that 'unquenchable wrath' you mentioned."

"Oh, I'll give you wrath!" Lois growled, shooting up into a sitting position and knocking his hand off her shoulder.

"I clearly recall something about having to go to an interview tomorrow," Clark continued, not heeding her ardent threat, "and the blame for any and all couch related neck and/or back aches being completely on my shoulders."

Lois simply glared, for lack of a worthier retort. However, Clark seemed to have somehow developed immunity to her patented death glare. Damn him.

With a tired sigh, she grabbed hold of his arm and hoisted herself off the couch. Shuffling forward she managed to catch her foot on the coffee table.

"Woah," Clark said and caught her arm to stop her falling, "Not awake yet?"

Lois shrugged in response as she fought off a blush of embarrassment. She scanned the living room, the last dregs of sleepiness draining away with the adrenaline.

"Where'd Chloe–"

"She went home an hour or so ago," Clark filled in as he walked over to turn off the television. "Said she had to get up in the morning."

"Oh." Lois watched as he walked back across the room, "What time is it?"

"It's…" Clark glanced at his watch, "nearly one."

Lois' eyes widened. Okay… maybe she shouldn't have insisted on that third film. No wonder Chloe had left.

"Pretty late, I know," Clark commented; his eyes on her, "You want to just stay the night here? Save you driving this late." Lois hesitated. "…Especially considering you can't seem to safely navigate around the furniture at this point. Wouldn't want you hitting anyone again."

"Smallville," Lois said, with a warning tone. "You woke me up from a very pleasant dream, and now you mock me? Thin. Ice."

"I'll take that as a yes," Clark decided, smiling indulgently at her, as if she some cute disobedient little child he was babysitting. He proceeded to take her by the shoulders and turn her in the direction of the stairs.

Lois felt decidedly impotent as she found herself being escorted to Clark's room. That was twice her favourite glare had failed her in one night. He _was_ immune! She consoled herself with the fact that he would again be sleeping on the couch.

"Gee Clarkie, I guess you'll be downstairs tonight," Lois let a satisfied smirk rule her features, "I'm so sorry to put you out…"

"Oh, it's alright," Clark slung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into an entirely unexpected half-hug. "I know you love me."

Lois felt her stomach drop at Clark's reference to The Incident. She'd thought… She'd been _hoping_ that it had faded from their memories as quickly as it hadn't from hers.

"That again?" Lois put on an admirable attempt at bravado (somewhat weakened by her moment of stunned silence), "That happened weeks ago! And we clearly established that that was all Chloe's fault!"

"No, _you_ established that," Clark corrected.

"Don't you know the whole 'roast, roast, roast, what do you put in a toaster? Toast' thing?" Lois argued pulling out of Clark's hug, "It was psychological priming, I would have said yes to anything at that point!"

"Uh-huh," Clark didn't sound convinced.

"I thought you guys had dropped this!"

"We were just saving you from further embarrassment. We know how difficult it is for you to admit that–"

"I hate you," Lois interrupted; eyes narrowed and cheeks flushed.

Clark gazed at her intently, reaching out to brush a lock of sleep-mussed hair back behind her ear. Lois found herself inexplicably holding her breath as he paused.

"Love you too Lo," Clark said, a grin spreading across his face.

Lois' eyebrows shot up in surprise. What?

She was still frozen by shock as Clark leaned in and swiftly, softly kissed her lips. He pulled away before she truly registered what he was doing.

"Good night Lois," he said, and promptly walked away, leaving Lois standing in the bedroom doorway.

He made it to the top of the stairs before she called after him in a slightly squeaky tone.

"What?!"

Clark half-turned, smiled at her over his shoulder, then continued walking down the stairs. All Lois could do was stare after his plaid-packaged (and nicely muscled, she noted, feeling very far away from herself) back, mouth gaping.


	4. A Revelation

**A Revelation**

* * *

Chloe woke to the sound of thunder.

She cracked open an eye to squint at the red numerals of her alarm. Too early. Far, FAR too early. Groaning, she pulled a pillow out from under her head and attempted to block out the unwelcome noise. Just when she thought it was never going to end, it stopped.

Chloe cautiously lifted the pillow. It was gone. She breathed a sigh of relief.

But wait, what was that? It was the sound of a key turning in a lock. Her lock. And her door slamming shut. And angry feet pounding closer. Oh no...

"Chloe!!!!!" Lois's voice was shrill with anger as she stomped through to Chloe's bedroom.

"It's four in the morning Lois," Chloe mumbled, annoyed.

"I know. It's four in the morning, and I'm awake. And I've BEEN awake for hours, trying to sleep and then trying to escape from the Kents' place without waking up Smallville. I had to climb out his bedroom window Chloe!"

"What?" Chloe moaned blearily, "Lois, please, can't this wait? Come back when the sun is up. With coffee."

"No, it CAN'T wait, because this is ALL. YOUR. FAULT!" Lois yanked Chloe's pillow from her grasp, and continued to rant, "You did this to me, so I think you deserve to be awake and suffering with me."

Chloe groaned in frustration and pulled her remaining pillow over her head as Lois began pacing beside the bed.

"It's been weird ever since you twisted my words around. I thought it was going to be okay, that it would just die down like the nothing it was, but now – I can't even argue with him properly now because he thinks he has the trump card! I say I hate him, he says I love you! There has always clearly been something wrong with the inner workings of Smallville, but this particular comeback is clearly your influence. If you hadn't-"

"Woah, woah, back up. WHAT did he say?" Chloe pulled the pillow away and struggled to sit up.

"He said he loves me. I can't believe you did this to me. You tricked me into saying it and now he thinks... God! I have to leave the country, assume another identity, SOMETHING! He's going to have this forever, Chloe, FOREVER. He could still be following me around going "Oh Lo-lo, I know you love me" and kissing and winning arguments when we're in walkers! Chloe, I really, really hate you for this. You have to fix it. There has to be-"

"He KISSED you?!" Chloe interrupted, eyes now wide open.

"Yes Chloe, that's what I said. You know, now would be an  
awesome time for him to have another bout of that amnesia he's so prone to. You must know–"

"LOIS!" Chloe yelled to get her attention then, mindful of the fact it was very early in the morning, continued in a loud whisper, "You're telling me that Clark Kent told you he loved you and kissed you?"

"Yes! Because you went and gave him the idea."

"What did you say back?"

"I-I don't remember. Nothing. Or maybe I said 'huh' or something to that effect," Lois replied, no longer pacing. A grin began to spread over Chloe's face. "But that's beside the point anyway, what matters is that he's torturing me."

"He kissed you speechless, and you spent the night obsessing over it, then you came here to wake me up and blame me for it," Chloe reiterated, staring at her cousin with something akin to awe.

"Yeeesss," Lois pronounced slowly, "That's what I've been saying since I got here..."

"Oh... wow," Chloe said, surprised. "I mean, I always thought there was something there, but I just didn't realise it had gone this far..."

"What? What are you on about Chloe?" Lois asked, perturbed.

"You really do love him, don't you?" Chloe asked, amazed, "Lois Lane is actually head-over-heels, crazy in love with Clark Kent."

"No I'm not," Lois scoffed.

"Lois," Chloe said pointedly, "You woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me that he kissed you."

"Nooo, I came to kill you, but my conscience got the better of me on the way over."

"So it has nothing to do with the fact that he loves you," Chloe said in a voice dripping with scepticism, watching her cousin's expression carefully.

"He doesn't love me, he just SAID he does," Lois corrected. Chloe inclined her head; did she just hear what she thought she'd heard?

"But you want him to," Chloe realised.

"No I don't," Lois quickly responded. Too quickly.

"Lois, we are passed the point where you deny until you're blue in the face, and I argue back. You. Love. Clark. Kent."

"I-" Lois started to argue then paused, her expression changing, "Oh no."

"Oh yes," Chloe nodded, eagerly.

"Oh, GOD no," Lois exclaimed then threw herself onto Chloe's bed, burying her face in the covers.

After a few minutes of silence, Lois lifted her head.

"I love Clark Kent," she admitted in a miserable, resigned tone.

"I know Lo," Chloe reached out to rub Lois's shoulder.

"I don't know how this happened," Lois mumbled into the duvet.

"He is pretty charming. And intelligent. And he has that body..."

"I know. But... He's Smallville," Lois stressed. "I'm not s- it's not supposed be like this."

"Would it help if I told you he loves you too?" Chloe asked after a pause.

Lois's head whipped back up to look at Chloe.

"Uh-huh" Chloe nodded, "He's absolutely crazy about you."

Lois stared.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed how goofy he is about you?"

"Goofy?" Lois repeated, sitting up. "Smallvillle's always goofy. That's just Smallville."

"Well, he has always been like that around you, but about a month ago I think he finally realised how he actually feels about you. He stammered, he blushed... and then there was that whole 'Clois' incident. You should have seen his face when he realised you might actually feel the same way."

Lois blinked.

"Really," Chloe emphasised, grinning at the involuntary smile that fluttered over Lois's face. "You two are perfect for each other, you know. This was always going to happen. Martha says she's been expecting this since she first saw you two together."

"Mrs Kent knows?!" Lois was horrified. This couldn't be happening.

Chloe nodded. "Just about everyone suspects something really. Smallville is a small town, after all."

Lois dived into the covers again, this time to muffle a scream.

* * *

**TBC**


	5. Duck n Dodge

**Duck 'N Dodge - Part 1**

Clark collapsed onto the couch, the enormous stupidity of his recent actions beginning to hit him.

Sure it was normal for Lois and him to banter and drop innuendoes... but they had boundaries; little undiscussed lines that kept them from straying into dangerous territory. Tonight though, he just hadn't been able to help himself.

Lois had (somehow) fallen asleep an hour into Die Hard. He'd spent the rest of the film trying not to stare at her as she used his shoulder as her own personal pillow. It was a hopeless cause. There are only so many times a person can mentally slap themselves before they go numb... and Bruce Willis simply didn't hold the same mysterious appeal as an adorable, _quiet_ Lois. She didn't even snore (Clark filed this away between 'bites her nails' and 'likes lilies'). Ever since the incident in the dormitory hallway he'd been... wondering. And with all that wondering going on, he'd been having even more of these mental forays over the boundary line than normal.

When the credits began to roll, he forced himself to wake her, and escorted a sleepy, stumbling Lois to his room. They were bantering as usual, and somehow he'd got caught up in it and went to far. He couldn't help himself when Lois got so flustered over him mention her accidental confession. A little gleeful bit of him had pounced on the fact she hadn't actually _exactly_ denied loving him and urged him to go just a little bit further.

**_"I hate you," Lois interrupted; eyes narrowed and cheeks flushed. Clark watched in private surprise, as Lois became increasingly flustered. That last declaration sound more than a little bit defensive. _**

**_Reaching up, he gave in to the desire smooth that sleep-mussed hair. When she didn't immediately attempt to break his wrist, he was overcome by his impulsive side._**

**_"Love you too Lo." He felt a wide smile tug at his lips, and it grew wider as Lois's eyebrows rose up in shock, and her bottom lip dropped._**

**_She was still frozen by shock as Clark leaned in and swiftly, softly kissed her lips. _**

Lois's sweetly shocked "What?!" echoed in his mind.

Damn Lois. Damn her and her ability to bring out the impulsive side of him, sans red K. Whenever she was around – teasing him, driving him crazy with her taunts and recklessness – she distracted him. She distracted him from what he was supposed to be doing, from Lana, his extraterrestrial issues, his morose moods. Whenever she stepped into the room, there was only room for Lois. Everything else was pushed to the wayside.

When they first met he'd found her annoying, sarcastic, stuck-up and rude. He'd been driven crazy by her intrusion on his life - her loud, brash personality had grated on every one of his nerve endings. Where Lana, Chloe, his mother – all the women and girls he had known – were beautiful, soft pastels, Lois was garish primary colours – red, blue, yellow. He'd had no idea how to handle this alien creature, with her violent tendencies and tactlessness.

Sure, he'd noticed she was gorgeous. He had eyes, after all. And of course he was impressed by her ability to fight... But really, it hadn't been until later that he'd noticed the other things. Like her fierce loyalty and determination, her infectious enthusiasm and energy.... that victorious bounce in her step after she'd dunked him. The soft, genuine smile she only gave to the few people she trusted.

She'd become one of his closest friends in the time he had known her. Lately, he'd been finding he could no longer imagine a future that didn't somehow include Lois. She was still annoying, sarcastic and rude, of course... but somewhere along the line he'd started to find that endearing. Lovable.

Of course, he couldn't let her know that. She already had enough blackmail material.

An hour into his brood-fest, a scraping noise drew his attention away from his gloomy ponderings. His brow creased in confusion – it sounded like... Another long scraping sound interrupted Clark's train of thought. It was followed by a thud and the sound of Lois cursing under her breath. Seconds later Lois' car started and zoomed away.

_Great. _Clark didn't know whether to laugh or find a nice sturdy wall to bang his head against.


	6. Duck N Dodge Part 2

**Duck 'N Dodge - Part 2

* * *

**

Lois leaned her forehead against the closed window and exhaled a sigh of relief. _Safe._

"You're avoiding me," Clark's voice sounded from behind her. Lois jumped and spun around. How had he found her?

"Huh? What?... I'm not avoiding you," Lois denied quickly. _Crap, _she thought,_ the great wall of Clark is between me and the primary exit!_

Lois eyed the room for a secondary route. Was that window too small? Her eyes flicked back to Clark.

"You left at three in the morning because you thought I was asleep. I'd call that avoiding."

"Uh..." Lois stumbled, "Oh, you heard me leave?"

Clark nodded.

"I wasn't avoiding you. I just remembered I needed to get something ready for my interview." When Clark didn't respond, she elaborated vaguely, "Something that's at my place."

"Uh-huh," Clark's poker face remained in place.

"My notes! I forgot them, okay?" Lois failed to keep her tone from taking on a defensive edge.

"You left at three am to get notes," Clark's voice was clearly sceptical, his eyes fixed carefully on her.

"Yes! They were important."

"Out the window?"

_Crap. _

Lois's eyes snapped back to her secondary - out the window was looking pretty damn good again...

"Lois?" Clark prodded; a smile twitching in the corners of his mouth.

"I didn't want to wake you up," Lois fibbed.

"Since when have you ever minded disturbing me?"

"Since..." Lois faltered. "Since...You know what Smallville, I can be nice. I don't actually pass my time kicking puppies and stealing lollipops from toddlers."

"I didn't mean - Of course you don't Lois!" He sounded so incredulous he gave Lois pause. But only for a second.

"How did you even get in here, huh? You stalking me?" Lois continued her offensive defence.

"Uh," Clark flushed red, "Well... only a little bit, and only because you were avoiding me!"

"And yet you didn't take the hint and leave me alone?" Lois criticised, doing her best to subtly manoeuvre Clark away from the door.

"So you _were_ avoiding me!" Clark caught her slip, stepping forward as he accused. This movement left the door unguarded.

"No Clark, that's a hypothetical. If you think a girl doesn't want to see you, you leave her alone." With that parting comment, Lois darted out the door.

Or she would have, if the large warm hand that wrapped itself around hers hadn't pulled her to a halt. Lois stayed facing the exit, trying not to panic. _Breathe._ That became a lot harder to do as Clark gently but firmly began to tow her back to him.

"Lois," he said softly and as if she were the opposing magnet, she found herself uncontrollably drawn to turn to him. After a few seconds of ragged breathing, Lois cautiously raised her eyes to meet his, while a little voice in her head screamed, '_What are you doing!'_

Clark's blue-green eyes pinned her_, _though she felt like jumping out of her skin as he stepped closer. The hand trapping her own loosened a slid up her arm. He was holding her only gently, and she could easily have got away from him. If she could remember why she wanted to get away in the first place, which was impossible with him leaning towards her, getting closer, and closer...

"Why did you run Lois?" Clark asked her, watching her face intently. Lois' mouth opened automatically to tell him – tell him what exactly? Truth was she didn't know why.

"I don't need to explain myself to you!" Lois snapped suddenly; breaking his hold on her and speeding out the door before she lost her mind again.

* * *

"I knew this was going to happen," Chloe stated, with a long-suffering sigh. "Lois, this is a defence mechanism. You finally woke up to yourself and now you can't face Clark in case he rejects you."

"REJECTS ME?" Lois scoffed from the middle of Chloe's bed, "Plaid Boy would be lucky to have me. I'm way out of his league!"

"Uh-huh. See, now you're using sarcasm to distance yourself from your feelings for Clark."

"I am not."

"Yes, you are."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too."

"AM NOT!" Lois snapped.

"Are too... Oh god..." Chloe shook her head, "I thought we'd grew out of this! We are so immature."

"Speak for yourself, baby cousin."

Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Lois, you need to go talk to Clark. Deal with this. You can't keep pushing away the good things in life because you're afraid to get hurt."

Lois dropped her smirk and a worried expression replaced it.

"Go on, go!" Chloe gave Lois a push towards the door. Lois reluctantly stepped over the threshold.

"And just so you know? I am NOT going to be wearing a turquoise bridesmaid dress. You can't make me." Lois's jaw dropped and her face flushed red in fury.

"WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT-" Chloe closed the door in Lois' face and smiled to herself.

* * *

Someone knocked on the front door of the Kent farmhouse.

"Lois," Clark said, surprised to see her on his doorstep. Lois crossed her arms.

"Clark," She responded shortly. For a moment they stood in silence, each waiting for the other to fill the silence

"So..." Lois trailed, as though she were hoping Clark would read her mind and save her from actually having to say why she was there.

"Lois?" Clark nudged.

"I'm sorry," Lois said uncomfortably, fidgeting and looking at her feet, "I _was_ kind of avoiding you and I shouldn't have picked a fight like I did. I didn't mean what I said."

When he got over the shock of Lois apologising, Clark remembered himself.

"I'm sorry that I, you know..."

"Kissed me?" Clark nodded, trying not bring up the memory again.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I just forgot..."

"Don't worry about it Clark," Lois interrupted, "Listen, do you want to meet up for lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure!" Clark responded instantly.

Half a second later, his brain caught up. _Wait... Did Lois just... Is this a date?_ Clark struggled to tamp down the unfurling excitement that was rising up from his chest. Of course it wasn't a date. Lois wouldn't ask him on a date. It was just two friends having lunch together.

"Great!" The slightly panicked reply drew Clark's attention. Lois noticed and quickly schooled her expression before suggesting a time and place. Clark barely heard her over the fireworks exploding in his head. Lois was nervous. Why would she be nervous unless...

"So..." Lois' voice was still a little peaked, "I'll see you there."

"See you there," Clark echoed, distracted by the growing certainty that he'd just agreed to far more than a friendly lunch.

Lois walked away. Then suddenly, she swung around and marched back to jab an angry finger into his chest.

"And don't you DARE stand me up!"

Clark gaped down at the volatile female. Lois glared at him for a few seconds; then abruptly stalked over to her car, muttering about meddling blondes.

Clark remained in the open doorway; stunned into silence by Lois' ability to go from zero to a hundred in no seconds flat. As he watched her car disappearing down the driveway, he felt a smile beginning to spread across his face.

He had a date with Lois Lane.


	7. Dateless

**Dateless****

* * *

**

Clark shifted uncomfortably in the vinyl-lined booth, fiddling with the salt shaker. Giving into temptation, he let his eyes rove back to the door hopefully.

Nope. No Lois. He averted his eyes quickly before the waitress could catch his eye with another knowing look. She'd seen more than a few people stood by their dates, evidently.

Not that Clark had been stood up – really. He'd just arrived fifteen minutes early and Lois was a little late. Stupid nerves. He'd had a dream the night before that Lois had come five minutes early to their date, and had changed and her mind and left before he got there. Of course, it was only a dream, and he was superstitious at all. He was just being cautious.

One could never be too cautious with Lanes in the picture.

So the waitress had seen him sitting there nursing a cold cup of coffee with his eyes on the door for - Clark's eyes flicked up to the cracked face of white plastic clock on the far wall – fifty seven minutes. It hadn't been that long. That waitress was just jaded and cynical from years in hospitality. Lois had probably just been caught in traffic, or something.

Clark methodically twirled the shaker on its base for another five minutes before he started to think perhaps Lois really wasn't coming. Perhaps she'd changed her mind before she even got to the cafe.

Another couple of minutes of tossing the shaker from one hand to the other, and he'd (miserably) decided that the waitress was right and he was beginning to share her cynicism of people and the world in general.

His hands stilled suddenly when he suddenly remembered that this was Lois Lane, and that it was entirely likely that she'd started a fight with a member of the Irish Mafia, been kidnapped, jailed and/or knocked unconscious.

Less than a second after this scenario occurred to him, the booth was empty and he was frantically knocking on Lois's door.


	8. Dateless Part 2

**Dateless - Part Two**

* * *

"You broke my door!" A decidedly tousled-looking Lois Lane accused; her voice hoarse.

"You weren't answering, I thought you were in trouble," Clark explained, looking relieved to see her safe (if not particularly happy).

"I was ASLEEP!" Lois snapped, shuffling aggressively over to examine the busted door jamb. Part of the frame had snapped off, hanging on only by a few splinters.

"What did you do, kick it in?!" Lois asked incredulously.

"I was just - " Clark flushed red, "It must have been rotten."

"It wasn't rotten!!" Lois jabbed violently at him for emphasis, "It was a perfectly good door and you BROKE IT!!"

"I'll fix it?" Clark suggested, leaning away from her.

"You're damn right you'll fix it!" Lois pushed him back a step. "What are you even doing here? Couldn't you go Godzilla someone _else's_ apartment?!"

"You didn't show up, I thought maybe you'd gotten yourself into trouble again."

"Well clearly I wasn't. And even if I was, I wouldn't need your help!" Lois bristled, slamming the damaged door closed. Clark probably would have been more intimidated if he hadn't just registered that Lois was wearing pyjamas. With cute little yellow ducks on them. And bunny slippers.

"What are you grinning at Dopey?!!" Lois growled. Clark looked up from the floppy-eared, pink bunny slippers. Clark tried and failed to school his expression.

"You're adorable," the words slipped out.

Lois's scowl slipped, and she involuntarily smiled for a second. Clark frowned.

"You were asleep at one in the afternoon?" He asked confusion evident in his voice.

"It's not – " Lois turned to her clock, and squinted at it in puzzlement, "Huh. Oh. Oh crap!" Lois turned back to him, "I missed it?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, I just – I was up late last night and I guess I forgot to set the alarm," She frowned, "Or maybe I turned it off and went back to sleep I'm not sure..." Lois trailed off, closing her eyes and pressing a hand to her head.

"It's alright," Clark told her, "We – "

"It's not alright. I stood you up!" Lois interrupted her voice cracking a little, "I finally get a date with nice, normal, wond- _wonderful_ guy and I completely screw it up!"

"Lois?" Clark watched her in confusion; this wasn't the tough-as-nails military brat behaviour he'd come to expect. He'd rarely seen her vulnerable side, and never over something so small as over-sleeping, nor so suddenly.

"But that's what I'm best at isn't it?" Lois rambled on without pausing for an answer, a couple of tears escaping down her cheeks, "I screw things up. I screwed Lucy up, I screwed Oliver up... God! I should never have even asked you – "

"Lois!" Clark tried again, grabbing her gently by the shoulders to get her attention, "Lois, what are you – "

Clark was distracted from his line of thought by the heat of the skin under his palms.

"Are you sick?" he asked, suddenly concerned, leaning in to look more closely at her.

"I'm fine Smallville!" Lois snapped, returning to her earlier irritated tone tears still running slowly down her cheeks. Clark ignored her reply as he was already taking note of her flushed cheeks and reddish eyes. He pressed a hand to her forehead and was shocked at the heat radiating from it.

"Lois, you're burning up!"

"Your hands are just cold," Lois argued, roughly wiping at her cheeks and turning away from him.

"Yeah, to YOU, because your temperature is through the roof!" Clark argued, pulling her back to him.

"Smallville!" Lois growled, "Stop manhandling me before I press charges!" She attempted to pull away again, but Clark easily maintained his hold on her this time, shaking his head.

"You're sick. I think you have the flu."

Lois had a sudden flash of the day she had first met him. When she'd tried to stop him from leaving the hospital, he'd picked her up and deposited her to out of his way as if she weighed no more than a first-grader. He let her push him around so much, she tended to forget he was capable of such a show of pure brawn.

"No wonder you were so cranky before..." Clark said to himself, pulling her into a loose hug and stroking the hair back from her hot forehead.

"I'm not CRANKY," Lois said indignantly. A wave of dizziness came over her just then, and with a groan she gave up on indignation and rested her aching head on Clark's chest.

"Okay. Maybe I'm sick..." Lois muttered. Clark chuckled softly.

"Shut up," Lois said, without any venom.

"Cranky," Clark said softly, rubbing circles on her back.

"Mmmhmm," Lois murmured, leaning more heavily against him. Clark smiled.

"Come on sweetheart," his father's familiar endearment flowed naturally over his lips, "Let's get you back to bed."

Lois sleepily brought her arms up around Clark's neck as he scooped her up and carried her towards her bedroom.

"I'm your sweetheart?" she mumbled into his collarbone, eyes closed.

Clark answered by pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, knowing she was already asleep.


	9. Going Somewhere

**A/N**: Finished! This actually turned out better than I thought it would, considering I was not really in the right headspace for this story when started this part.  
Thanks to my twitter friends for helping me with the name of Lois's first paper and the title of this chapter.

* * *

**Going Somewhere****

* * *

**

Clark smiled cheerfully at Lois, who was regarding him with suspicion.

"What?"

"Nothing," Clark shook his head, still smiling at her. Smiling like he knew something.

Lois fidgeted in her seat, trying to ignore him. She concentrated instead on the building across the street. Five minutes later she looked back to find him watching her; propping his head up on one hand. Still smiling.

"Smallville!!" Lois cracked, "If I knew you were going to stare at me, I wouldn't have invited you along!"

Clark chuckled, "You think I'm wonderful."

"No, I don't," Lois corrected with a roll of her eyes, "I think you're decidedly ordinary, farmboy."

"You said I was," Clark told her, brimming with optimism.

"Uh-huh. Was this when I was delirious with fever?" Lois asked.

"Yes," Clark agreed. "I think I like you better when you're sick."

"And I like _you _better when you're shutting up."

"No you don't, it makes you uncomfortable," Clark pointed out.

Lois huffed in frustration. Did he _have_ to know her so well?

"You're cuddly when you're sick too," Clark informed her gleefully.

"Shut up," Lois instructed, her eyes pinned to the door across the street.

It was becoming clear to Lois that she really needed to start getting a yearly flu shot – if only to keep Clark from getting any more information. She didn't remember all of what had occurred, but she did remember Clark looking after her and she was certain she'd said some things to him (and about him) that she shouldn't have.

"Aww... does my Lois need a hug?" Clark said standing up a rounding the table.

"One date - which didn't even happen - does not make me _your Lois_," Lois corrected him.

This stakeout was looking like a failure and she was still not feeling completely well – and on top of that, Clark was daring to tease her.

She was _not _in the mood to be teased.

Clark collected a fuming Lois into his arms, enveloping her in a warm hug.

"SMALLVILLE!" Lois stiffened in his arms and hissed, "Public place!"

"Sorry," Clark responded, not sounding very apologetic at all and also not letting her go.

Lois huffed, but couldn't help but relax just a little – Clark gave good hugs.

"You don't sound very sorry," Lois opined.

"You don't sound very angry," Clark bantered back.

"I will be if you turn us into one of those PDA couples," Lois threatened.

Clark pulled back and smiled broadly at her.

"So we're a couple now?"

"Uh," Lois stammered, "I- No. We haven't even been on a date."

"Isn't this is a date?" Clark asked, gesturing around them.

"No, this is a stakeout."

"In a cafe?"

"In a conveniently located cafe, yes," Lois tilted her head in the direction of the building across the street.

"Why am I at your stake out then?"

"A couple can sit in a cafe for several hours without looking suspicious. A girl on her own attracts too much attention - and too many guys who want to play the knight in shining armour to the girl who looks like she's been stood up," Lois explained.

"So, I'm your... bodyguard?" Clark looked slightly pleased at this idea.

"I _don't_ need a body guard. You're more like my wedding ring."

"What?" Clark looked confused at this description.

"You know – women wear a 'wedding' ring in a bar if they don't want to be hit on," Lois said, picking up her lukewarm beverage.

"I get it," Clark grinned. "We're married."

Lois choked on her coffee. Clark patted her back as she spluttered.

"So who are you staking out?" Clark asked before Lois caught her breath.

"Andy Brattman," answered Lois, forgetting about Clark's last statement and glaring at the building again. "He was _supposed _to meet his partner in crime here two hours ago."

"I guess he's not showing up then," Clark said nonchalantly. "How about we go do something else?"

"Okay," Lois sighed, thinking she needed to get some better sources if she was ever to get a better gig than the Inquisitor.

As they were standing up to leave, Clark grabbed hold of Lois hand. Lois jumped and stared down out their entwined hands, then looked up at Clark.

"What are you doing?" she asked, while her fingers clutched reflexively around his palm.

"Holding your hand," Clark responded casually.

"I'm not that stupid, Kent. _Why_ are you holding my hand?"

"To make sure you don't stand me up this time," Clark told her, tugging her away from the cafe.

"Have you been watching Chains of Love reruns?" Lois asked as he pulled her along. "Because if we're dating, that's gotta stop."

"So you admit we're dating?"

Lois rolled her eyes at him as they walked.

"You are going to let go of my hand," she said firmly.

"I don't think so," Clark disagreed, swinging their hands back and forth.

"This counts as a PDA."

"I think your reputation will survive."

"I've got to get changed if we're going out," Lois tried.

"I like the way you're dressed now."

"Smallville."

"What? I do! You're beautiful."

And he was smiling at her. That wide, sincere smile that made everything else fade into the background. Lois was horrified to find herself succumbing to his charm.

"Fine. Where are we going then?"

"Where do you want to go?" Clark asked, still smiling.

Lois knew she was in trouble now – she was suddenly smiling back just as broadly.

"Well..."

* * *

The End (or rather, The Beginning. ;-) )

Thanks for reading everyone!


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